Fort Mifflin Update

We hope that everyone is excited to be sleeping over at historic Fort Mifflin this weekend.  We are!  Before I go on to give you the final details, I have had a several people asking if there was anything they should bring or would it be ok to bring a snack. The answer is yes, you are free to bring snacks if you would like.  While we don’t require you to bring any extras, if you wish to contribute and bring something here are some suggestions;

• Bottled Water:  You can never have too much and whatever extra you have you can take back home.
• Firewood:  Scouts love to burn firewood. Bring as much as you want/can.  The fort is always accepting donations of firewood so nothing you bring will go to waste.
• Snacks: *NO PEANUTS – WE HAVE PEANUT ALLERGIES IN THE PACK*  The boys could eat snacks all day, every day.  Be sure that what you choose to bring is covered and protected from the elements, temperature etc…  Someone mentioned soft pretzels. This is fine but please be sure you let people know right away because they may not make it through the night without getting stale etc…

Now on to the details:

Arrival Time:

Feel free to arrive around 5:00.  Upon arrival you will need to set up your tent as soon as possible.  Older boys will be expected to help out with the younger boys as well as assist with preparing the campfire and dinner.  We will have dinner and as the sun sets those going on the ghost tour will shortly begin their tour. There will not be a lot of time as many people have work and so forth so be sure to help each other out.

Weather:

We are expecting a nice clear Friday night and Saturday morning.  The overnight low is expected to be around 60 degrees but keep in mind we are at the river front. Being on the water means it can get a bit chilly.  However it should be a pleasant night.  Clouds are expected to start rolling in around 1:00 – 2:oo pm on Saturday with a chance of rain increasing until around 7pm when there is a call for some thunderstorms.  PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: While it looks as if we are in the clear weather wise, things can change at any moment… BE PREPARED!

Food:

For Friday dinner we are having hot dogs and beans.  We understand this is a late arrival time for many so if you get hungry please do not feel obligated to wait until we get set up and get dinner ready. You can grab/bring something else if you desire. For Saturday’s breakfast (around 7:00 am) we will be having hot & cold cereal, pancakes, sausage, milk, juice, pancakes, hot chocolate and coffee.

Shelter:

We will be tent camping.

What to Bring:

First we will start with what Fort Mifflin recommends…

• Comfortable bedding, including pillow (an air mattress is a good idea.)
• Drinking Water (we only have non-potable water.)
• Your Favorite Snacks
• Flash Light
• Your own tent and/or cot (if you plan to sleep outside.)
• Warm clothing in the cooler months and rain gear if it has rained in the last 24 hours, especially boots and extra socks.)

Now we are scouts so we believe in being prepared, right?  We compiled a list of items for last April’s camping trip that not only included items each boy should carry with them but also a more comprehensive list for camping and/or overnighters.  You can find that list at http://cubpack155.org/x/1o

Directions to Fort Mifflin:

From Downtown Philadelphia –
South on I-95, take Exit 15 Island Avenue/Enterprise Avenue. At end of exit ramp, you will be on Enterprise Avenue. At stop sign turn left onto Fort Mifflin Road. Follow road, through short tunnel, to the first left turn. After left hand turn, follow signs straight into the Fort. Free Parking is on the left.

From Delaware County –
North on I-95, take Exit 13 – Valley Forge/West 291. Bear right and follow sign for Island Avenue. At traffic light (Hilton Hotel on left corner), turn left onto Island Avenue. At stop sign turn left onto Enterprise Avenue. At stop sign, turn right onto Fort Mifflin Road. Follow road, through short tunnel, to the first left turn. After left hand turn, follow signs straight into the Fort. Free Parking is on the left.